Mail-bag.



UNirn TATES Aernst IFFICE.

SMON P. STEELE, OF AUBURN, NEBRASKA.

NIAlL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,729, datedSeptember 25, 1900.

Application tiled April Z4, 1900 Serial No. 14,16 8. No model T0 a/ZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON P. STEELE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Auburn, in the county of Nemaha and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit apperta-ins to make and use the same.

The object is to present a simple, durable, and el'iicient form of mouthor closure for mail-bags which in operation will not only afford asecure article for the purpose, but will at the same time prevent thepossibility nf accidental escape from the bag of mailmatter when themouth is closed. Furthermore, to present a closure which will whenunlocked be readily opened either by automatic means or by handin thelatter instance with but slight exertion of power.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts of a mailbag closure, as will be hereinafter fully'described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I'haveillustrated a form of Aembodiment of my invention, together with amodification thereof, it being understood that other forms of embodimentthereof may be employed Without departing from the spirit of the same,and in the drawings- Figure 1 is a view in perspective, exhibiting abag-mouth closure embodying my in-V vention, the bag being broken away.Fig.

2 is a view in plan, showing the closure in its shut position. Fig. 3 isa view in perspective, displaying a modified form of closure, th'e bagbeing omitted. Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section, taken on the line4 4, Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon.

The parts of the bag mouth or closure A are constructed, preferably, ofmetal and. comprise two side pieces a and two end pieces a2, the formerbeing the longer. These pieces are each provided at each end withappurtenances for constituting a hinge a3, prefer ably by forming onepart with a single tenon and the other with a double tenon, the spacemor-lise iits.

between the two tenons of the latter forming 'a mortise in which thefirst tenon fits, thus forming an ordinary box-hinge, the parts of whichare held assembled by the usual butt or pivot a4.

Referring to the form of closure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, oneside and oneend are formed with a tenou a5 to engage when the parts are closed, asshown in Fig. 2, with a mortise on the other side of the other end', themortise, as shown in Fig. 4, being formed by two parallel strips oriianges a6, between which the As shown in Fig. 2,the tenons are taperedfrom toward the center of the closure or to one side thereof outward toeach end, so that when the closure is shut, as shown in the abovefigure, one side and one end will -form a straight line and the otherside and other end will form an angle, this arrangement providing forkeeping the closure partly open, whereby, asA before referred to, tofacilitate opening of the bag, as it will be ob- Vious that by reason ofthe coaction between the mortises andthe tenons the two sides and twoends can never occupy parallel planes, or, in other words, the side andend presenting the angle can never be folded in toward the opposite sideand end a sufcient distance to 'pass the dead-center of the pivotalpoint in the center or approximately the center of these two latterparts, thereby effectually ob- Viating the presentation of anyobstruction to the opening of the month of the bag.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tenon on the side of the bag carries a staple a7to engage with a lock cts, permanently carried by the opposite side ofthe bag, the construction of the lock to be of any style preferred.Adjacent to the lock will be secured an ordinary'labelholder er toindicate whence the mail-.matter contained in the bag is sent.

The bag B, which may be of any suitable material, is secured to theframe or closure by plates am, the bag being first placed against thesides and ends of the closure, the plates d10 being then placed inposition and rivets a passing through the plates am, the bag and thesides and ends of the closure serving to hold the parts firmlyassembled. At the junc- IOO two semicircular casings a, carried,respectively, by one side and one end, a pivot am being provided, aroundwhich the spring is coiled, and each side and each end aforesaid on eachedge being provided with a plate (L15, in which the pivot a is secured.rlhe two terminals of the spring pass between one of the casings cl3 andthe side and the end of the closure, as shown, and the tension of thisspring is in the direction to cause the mouth normally to remain open,so that upon unlocking the lock a8 the closure will open, thus tofacilitate entire opening of the same. At

each end of the closure and secured thereto by any suitable means is aring al, by which the bag may be suspended when being filled with mail,and on one side is a handhold (L17, by which to facilitate handling ot'the mail.

In Fig. 3 the same general construction of frame or closure is shown asthat exhibited in Figs. l and 2, with the exception that the spring atthe corner of the side and end is omitted.

While I have described only one spring in connection with the structureshown in Fig. l, it is to be understood that I may employ two atopposite corners or may employ a spring at each corner; but underordinary conditions one spring will be found to perform the functiondesired.

Having thus fully described rnyinvention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A mail-bag mouth or closure, comprising four members hinged together,two of which, when the bag is closed, are adapted to lie in a straightline, and the other two atan angle thereto, substantially as described.

2. A mail-bag mou th or closure, comprising four members hingedtogether, two of which, when the bag is closed, are adapted to lie in astraight line, and the other two at an angle thereto, tenons carried byone side and one end, and mortises provided in the other side and otherend, with which the said tenons engage, substantially as described.

3. A mail-bag mouth or closure, comprising four members hinged together,two of which, when the bag is closed, are adapted to lie in a straightline, and the other two at an angle thereto, tenons carried by one sideand one end, morlises provided on the other side and other end, withwhich the tenons enga-ge, a staple carried by one side of the bag, and alock permanently attached to the other side, with which the stapleengages, substantially as described.

4. A mail-bag mouth or closure comprising four members hinged together,two of which, when the bag is closed, are adapted to lie in a straightline and the other two at an angle thereto, and a coiled spring held inplace by the hinge-pivot at one corner of the closure, said springoperating to cause the mouth normally to remain open, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

SIMON P. STEELE.

Witnesses:

EDMUND H. PARRY, R. M. ELLIOTT.

